The mysterious case of Vincent Kompany, of Manchester City, and “the red card
that wasn’t” provided a useful occasion this week for a mass wallow in the
past, with all sorts of people speaking up on behalf of a time when
defenders were “no nonsense” with impunity (“no nonsense” typically
translating as “all nonsense”), when players were “committed”, tickets were
cheap and your money bought you 90 minutes of Terry Hurlock.

“I’m not sure I recognise the game I played any more,” said a bewildered
Robbie Savage, aged 38. We’re not sure we recognised the game Savage played,
even when